2013 Season Outlook
Six. 82. 1,807. 3,793. 2,817. 1,322. 4,751.
Those numbers represent the number of All-ACC selections, wins, sets played, kills, digs, blocks, and points,
respectively, that last season’s senior class of Sandra
Adeleye, Natalie Patzin, Alexa Rand, and Serenat Yaz
tallied during their four years.
Head Coach Jolene Jordan Hoover will use a combination of her nine newcomers and seven returning
letterwinners to bring a new-look Clemson team into a
new-look ACC. Three key contributors over the last three
seasons do return in hitter Mo Simmons, setter Hannah
Brenner, and outside hitter Kristin Faust. Other than
that, Hoover will look from competition to determine who
will see the most action in 2013.
“We lost a lot in our four seniors, who all started,”
said Hoover, who enters her 21st season at Clemson.
“But, we also return a lot, but were a bit of an unknown
because a lot of people haven’t seen those new players
play. But, I feel that we’re really going to be good, but
different.”
Different may be an understatement. The incoming
class includes six freshmen and three transfers, and with
all of the new faces will come new challenges in terms
of on-court continuity. Additionally, the nine newcomers
hail from a total of four countries, six positions, and four
states.
Because of the great numbers on the roster, which
includes eight players listed at 6-feet or taller, competition will be fierce for the open spots.
Senior Mo Simmons will again be one of the focal
points of the offense. After finishing last season seventh
in the ACC at 3.17 kills per set and leading Clemson with
995 attacks, Simmons will be called upon as a finisher
on both the left and right sides. She also has extensive
USA Volleyball experience, and has been voted as a captain by the team for a third straight season. Her versatility and potential will allow Hoover to fill in around her.
Hannah Brenner, a three-year starter at setter, has
guided the Tiger offense to the tune of 2,798 assists over
her career, good for sixth in school history. In addition,
hitter Kristin Faust, who was third on the team with 253
kills and 332 digs, is coming off an ACL injury, which
2013 Clemson Volleyball

ClemsonTigers.com • @ClemsonVB

she suffered early in spring practice. Faust was one of
Clemson’s primary passers, along with Patzin and Yaz,
in 2012. Faust received 596 serves a season ago with a
.955 success rate.
Her continued recovery is key, as she provides a
high-flying and athletic option on the outside, and is an
invaluable defensive asset.
Hoover cites the loss of two of her main passers to
graduation as one of the main storylines of fall camp.
Along with a healthy Faust, freshmen Milica Stamenic
and transfers Alex Lynch and Niki Collier. Cayley Balser
or Irem Bayramoglu will also be looked at as other options passing.
“Our biggest piece is the graduation of two of our
main passers, and Faust recovering from ACL surgery as
our third passer,” said Hoover. “So, that will be a big
piece to focus on in preseason, and that will be a very
important piece- our first ball contact.“
Clemson likes to move with a quick tempo offensively, and were one of the best at allowing aces last
season at just 0.89 per set, and led the conference in
digs per set at 17.19.
A great pass will be required to allow Brenner, backup Kamryn Sherman, or freshman Megan Giardina, to
have all of their distribution options. Brenner has been
an enthusiastic contributor over her first three seasons,
and will be expected to elevate her game even further,
and possibly contend for all-conference honors this season. She was named to the All-freshman team in 2010,
and was fifth in the ACC last season in assists per set.
Sherman has seen action throughout her first two seasons, including earning five starts a season ago.
Simmons will see many of the offensive opportunities, but there is also a big chance for Faust, Balser,
Perri, and Bayramoglu to earn valuable swings from the
outside.
In the middle, gone are four-year starters Rand and
Adeleye, who combined to average nearly seven points
per set over the last four seasons. Junior Karis Watson is
the lone returner with experience in the middle, and is a
tremendously strong blocker.
Beta Dumancic, a transfer who hails from Osijek,

Croatia, competed in the spring for the Tigers after
enrolling in January. Dumancic is a 6-foot-3 middle
with international experience and All-America honors
at Jefferson College in Missouri.
Finally, Leah Perri, an AAU All-American will
also get a shot at playing time, and is versatile enough
to hit, and will be tough to keep out of the lineup.
“Karis has done a tremendous job, but has just
played behind two seniors, and with Beta, and Leah
Perri can also contribute in the middle.
The libero spot is up for grabs as well, with the
departure of Patzin, who finished third in Clemson
history with 1,460 career digs. Niki Collier, a California native who played her freshman season at
Missouri, held down the spot in the spring, and will
be challenged by the Serbian native, Stamenic, who
earned a tremendous rating from international volleyball scouting services.
The 2013 campaign will be fun to watch as
Hoover preps her team for a tough schedule that features 17 of their 25 opponents finishing last season
among the top-150 in the nation. The season-opener
comes against a Michigan team that went to the Final
Four a season ago. The Tigers also close the season
with six of their final eight on the road.
Building early-season success and chemistry will
be paramount as a squad with many new faces attempts to carry on the tradition of success and manage the high expectations of the program.
“I think there are still a lot of question marks
going into preseason, but really good question marks.
So, I think it could be a situation where we can be
pretty versatile, which can make us difficult to scout
and play.”

MEDIA
INFORMATION
Credentials and Parking
Media and photographer credentials for matches
in Clemson’s Jervey Gymnasium may be obtained
from Jeff Kallin at (864) 656-1920. Parking is
located in the lot beside the gym, adjacent to the
entrance to the football practice fields.
Services
The Sports Information Office offers a weekly release containing team and individual notes, statistics, a review of past action and a look ahead to
the upcoming matches. ACC rankings, statistics
and notes are also available. The Sports Information Office will provide a complete NCAA box
score at the conclusion of every home match. Programs containing rosters and game notes on each
team will be provided for the working media and
fans in attendance.
Tigers on the Web
Up-to-date game stories, statistics, schedules
and results, plus other Clemson Athletic Department information is located at www.clemsontigers.com. The team also has a facebook page
and is on twitter @ClemsonVB

Media Information

Driving Directions To Jervey
From Atlanta, GA
Take I-85 north to Exit 14 in South Carolina.
Take a left, which crosses over the interstate, onto
South Carolina Highway 187 until the road runs
into U.S. Highway 76 and 28. Make a left at this
traffic light. See the * below for further directions.
From Columbia, SC
Take I-26 west and exit onto I-385 west until
it reaches I-85. Take I-85 south until it reaches
exit 19-B. Take exit 19-B and see the * below for
further directions.
From Greenville, SC
Take I-85 south until it reaches exit 19-B.
Take exit 19-B and the * below for further directions.
*Stay on this road until the Highway 93 exit,
where you will exit and take a left at the traffic
light. The route runs into the Clemson campus.
Stay straight until you reach the second traffic
light after the tennis courts (tennis courts will be
on the left). Take a left at the traffic light and
Jervey Gym is on the right.

Before Clemson
•
Bostanci Doga College
•
Vakifbank Spor Kubulu club program
•
Bayramoglu becomes the next in a series of Istanbul, Turkey natives, each of whom has
made significant contributions to the Clemson program. Didem Ege (2007-10) was a
three-time All-ACC selection and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Cansu Ozdemir
(2007-11) was a two-time captain, and Serenat Yaz (2009-12) made the All-ACC team.

Before Clemson
•
Red-shirted at Tennessee in 2012 before transferring to Clemson
•
4 time Varsity Letterwinner
•
2 time All-League First Team
•
4 time Hayward Area League Champions
•
4 time North Coast Section
•
Cousin is Marshawn Lynch, running back for the Seattle Seahawks

2012 - Freshman
•
Played in 30 of 31 matches and 102 sets as a true freshman walk-on as a server and
in back row
•
Had 13 aces in 410 service attempts (team-best 4.02 serves/set)
•
Tallied 66 digs, an average of 0.65 per set
•
played libero at North Carolina in a nationally televised match

DAVIS
4

Before Clemson
•
2012 All-State and All-Star (Region 1-AAAA)
•
2009-2012 All-Region (Region 1-AAAA)
•
United Performance Volleyball Club National Elite Team 2010
•
2012 Woodmont High School Female Athlete of the Year
•
2012 Wendy’s High School Heisman Female Award for Woodmont High School
•
Born on February 2, 1994, Alyssa Christine Brand Davis

2012: Sophomore
•
Reserve setter who and started five of the 17 matches in which she played
•
2nd on the team with 131 assists, an average of 4.37 per set; six kills and six service aces
on the season to go with 40 digs
•
Had season-high 31 assists with three kills and three aces against Winthrop

SHERMAN
5

2011: Freshman
•
With Brenner, was used as a setter when Clemson ran a 6-2
•
Appeared in 72 sets overall, tallying 358 helpers, and averagee of 4.98 per set
•
Had 23 service aces for the season, including 7 in one match, the sixth-most in school
history, and her 0.32 aces per set led the team

Before Clemson
•
Prepvolleyball.com All-American (one of 150 nationally)
•
2011 Prep Volleyball Academic All American
•
Qualified for the USA Volleyball A2 National Team in June, competing for the US at the
European Global Challenge in July in Great Britain and Croatia.

Prior to Clemson
•
Played two seasons at Missouri, playing in 36 total matches, including 7 starts in 2012
•
In 2011, had 20 digs on the season, and jumped to 104 in 2012
•
Was a primary serve-receiver successfully converting .956 of her chances
In High school
•
Named to the AVCA/Under Armour High School All-American Watch List
•
Despite playing just one season at Rock Bridge, she ranks first all-time in kills per set
(3.20), second in single season points (248), seventh in career kills (148) and career
aces (30
•
Honored as a Scholar Athlete in every season from 2008 through 2010-11.
•
Was named captain of her Sports Shack team 2 years in a row, and before that at SCVC
and Club X.

2012: Sophomore
•
reserve middle played in 11 matches with one start and a total of 18 sets
•
Had 11 kills in 33 attacks on the season, hitting .242
•
Excellent blocker with 17 total blocks in 18 sets, the 3rd-best average on the team
•
Had career-high eight blocks at NC State

WATSON
8

2011: Freshman
•
Played in 77 sets on the season, all on the front line
•
Tallied 51 kills and 44 blocks for the season, and average of 0.57 rejections per set
•
Had six kills in 11 attempts against Southern California
•
Had five total blocks against Wake Forest
•
Had a hitting percentage over .300 in seven matches

Before Clemson
•
All-state track athlete in High Jump, triple jump, and shot put
•
2010 Team MaxPreps Player of the Year
•
Her father, Ken Watson played football at Maryland. Her brother, Benjamin, played football at Georgia and plays tight end for the New Orleans Saints. Her brother, Asa Watson,
played tight end at NC State

WATSON’S CAREER STATS
Season
2011
2012
TOTAL

SP
77
18
95

MP
23
11
34

K
51
11
62

K/S
0.66
0.61
0.65

E
33
3
36

TA
148
33
181

Pct
.122
.242
.144

A
3
0
3

A/S
0.04
0.00
0.03

SA
0
0
0

SA/S
0.00
0.00
0.00

SE
0
0
0

DIG
18
2
20

Savannah

MILLER

D/S
0.23
0.11
0.21

RE
2
0
2

BS
6
1
7

BA
38
16
54

TB
44
17
61

B/S
0.57
0.94
0.64

BE
4
0
4

BHE
1
0
1

Points
76.0
20.0
96.0

Pts/S
0.99
1.11
1.01

2012: Freshman
•
Reserve hitter who appeared in one match, a win over South Carolina State
•
Had three service attempts and a dig in her action against the Bulldogs
Before Clemson
•
All-Region Volleyball player 2010, 2011
•
VII-AAAA Region Volleyball Player of the Year 2011
•
All-Lowcountry Volleyball player 2011
•
South Carolina Coaches Association All State Volleyball 2011
•
South Carolina Coaches Association southern South Carolina All-Star 2011
•
2011 High School Sports SCHSL All-State Volleyball Team
•
Born on August 15, 1994

Prior to Clemson:
•
NJCAA Second-Team All-American in 2010
•
Region XVI All-Conference selection as a sophomore in 2011.
•
Recorded 686 kills in her two seasons with the Vikings, and hit .383 as a middle blocker.

2012: Sophomore:
•
Started all 31 matches, playing 107 of 109 total sets
•
Third on the team with 253 kills, and 2.36 per set, second with 3.10 digs/set average
•
MVP of the Big Orange Bash with 32 kills, ten aces, 18 digs, and four blocks
•
Team-high 30 aces and 0.28 aces/set average, which ranked 9th in the ACC
•
Excellent passer with just 27 reception errors in 596 chances (.955)

12

2011: Freshman
•
Played in 90 sets, averaging 2.34 points per set with 176 kills and 212 digs and 21
aces
•
Had a double-double against NC State with 15 kills and 17 digs, earning her ACC
Rookie of the Week Honors

Before Clemson
•
Played Club ball with Top Select Volleyball, earning MVP of the Elite team twice
•
Prepvolleyball.com Honorable Mention All-American (Top 250 Nationally)
•
Mother, Molly Faust, was a standout player at Troy from 1980-84

FAUST’S CAREER STATS
Season
2011
2012
TOTAL

SP
90
107
197

MP
26
31
57

K
176
253
429

K/S
1.96
2.36
2.18

E
90
128
218

TA
524
758
1282

Pct
.164
.165
.165

A
10
31
41

A/S
0.11
0.29
0.21

SA
21
30
51

SA/S
0.23
0.28
0.26

SE
49
62
111

DIG
212
332
544

Sydney

D/S
2.36
3.10
2.76

RE
20
27
47

BS
3
3
6

BA
22
46
68

TB
25
49
74

B/S
0.28
0.46
0.38

BE
4
7
11

BHE
1
0
1

Points
211.0
309.0
520.0

Pts/S
2.34
2.89
2.64

Before Clemson
•
2012 SC Volleyball Gatorade Player of the Year
•
2012 SC AAAA Player of the Year
•
2012 All-State and All-Star
•
2011 and 2012 SC AAAA Stata Champion
•
2012 Wendy’s High School Heisman Female Award for Hillcrest High School
•
2012 prepvolleyball.com National Senior Player of the Year Finalist

Before Clemson
•
Earned highest possible rating (Level 1A) according to AVSR Global scouting service
•
“Passing was an important need for this recruiting class with the graduation of two of our
primary passers who started for us for the past four years. Milica is a very highly regarded
libero, an exceptional passer and she reads extremely well defensively.”

2011: Sophomore
•
Played as team’s primary setter in 5-1 system
•
Led Clemson to most kills in a match since 2007 on November 19th in Clemson’s upset
of #22 Miami dishing out out a career-high 68 assists
•
Recorded 40 or more assists in 10 matches
2012: Freshman
•
Named to ACC All-Freshman team
•
Ranked 8th in the ACC in assists/set at 9.77 on the season
•
Played in 23 matches, starting 16 in her freshman campaign
•
Had 752 set assists, the fourth-most by a Tiger freshman in history

2012: Junior
•
Enjoyed a breakout season for the Tigers, starting all 31 matches and tallying 345 kills
and 3.17 kills per set.
•
Posted career-bests in kills (345), kills/set (3.17),attacks (995), aces (24), digs (334),
digs/set (3.04), points (417.5), and points/set (3.83)
•
Led Clemson with 995 attacks, while hitting .236 on the right side
•
Had ten double-doubles, including her monster 25 kill-18 dig effort against the Hokies
•
All-Tournament in all four tounaments player at beginning of season

SIMMONS
22

2011: Sophomore
•
Had 281 total kills, 3rd on team
•
Increased her kills per set from 1.76 to 2.36 (an increase of .6) over 2010 season
•
Had 5 double-double matches with digs and kills, all of which came in ACC play

2010 : Freshman
•
Provided explosive athleticism and was a strong force on the right side, posting a very
well-rounded first season that culminated in a Freshman All-ACC honor
•
Had terrific all-around season with 201 kills, 185 digs, and 101 blocks
•
Played in 30 of 31 matches on the season, missing one match due to injury
•
Was named to the Big Orange Bash All-Tournament Team with 23 kills, 28 digs, and nine
blocks in her first three matches
•
Was named the ACC Freshman of the Week on Sept. 24 after the Clemson Classic, as she
let the tournament in hitting percentage (.442) and aces (4).

Off-Court
•
Comes from an extremely athletic family. Her brother, Michael Booker, Jr. played football
at Nebraska and went on to play in the NFL. Her other brother, Myreon, also played football
at Nebraska until 2001. Simmons’ sister Andria Booker, ran track at LSU.

21st season @ Clemson
512-260 Overall
419-229 at Clemson
Jolene Jordan Hoover is now in her 21st season as the Head Coach of the Clemson Volleyball
program. Under her direction, the program has been a standard of consistent success and performance. All eight of the team’s NCAA appearances have come on her watch. During the 2012
season, Hoover crossed the 400-win milestone at Clemson, and the 500-win mark in her career.
During her time at Clemson, her teams have averaged 21 wins per season and made eight
NCAA appearances, and have had 20 or more wins in 14 seasons, including the 2012 campaign.
Hoover’s squad last year was 21-10 and 12-8 in conference play, while the 2011 team finished
20-11, and she coached three players to All-ACC honors. Including Sandra Adeleye in 2012,
Hoover has coached 42 All-ACC selections.
In 2012, Adeleye became the first player in sschool history and the 13th in conference history to be an All-ACC selection in all four seasons.
She led Clemson to a 27-8 record in her first season, and has maintained a remarkable
track record of consistency since. Hoover is the longest-tenured head coach of any women’s program at Clemson, and continues to approach the sport with the same energy and enthusiasm
that made her a Hall of Fame player at Illinois State.
Before her arrival, Clemson had never been to the NCAA Tournament and had won just 41
percent of its ACC matches. In her 20 years at the helm, Clemson has now been to the NCAA
Tournament eight times, including four years in which it provided a host role for the national
event, in 1994, 1999, 2007 and 2008. Clemson has won nearly 60 percent of its ACC matches
in her tenure, and she has led the team to three conference titles.
Hoover is already Clemson’s all-time winningest volleyball coach with a 419-229 career
record. She has won at least 22 matches nine times during her tenure. Hoover’s teams have a
197-135 (.592) record in ACC play, including a school record and ACC-best 21-1 mark in 2007.
She has posted a 512-260 overall record in her 24 seasons as a head coach, ranking in the top
40 among active NCAA head coaches and 32nd among active head coaches in victories.
With a 3-0 victory over N.C. State in the first match of the 2004 season, Hoover reached the
100-win plateau in ACC matches and is one of only three current league coaches who can make
the claim. She reached two additional milestones during the 2007 season, recording her 300th
win at Clemson and her 400th career coaching victory.
The 2009 season helped to solidify Hoover, as she led the team to a 23-10 overall record
and a third consecutive NCAA berth and a fourth-place finish in the ACC.
Hoover has coached great individual student-athletes to success during her time at Clemson. She has coached 19 different players to 37 All-Region selections, as well as 36 All-ACC
selections. Her 2007 squad set records for All-ACC performers with six on the first and second
teams and AVCA All-Region selections with four. The 2009 team also had four All-ACC performers and tied the 2007 team’s mark with four All-Region selections.
The lengthy list of Tiger stars also includes Cindy Stern, who became the ACC’s first volleyball All-American in 1999, and Danielle Hepburn, just the second player in school history to
be named to an All-American team. Hoover coached Hepburn to a third-team selection in 2008,
capping an impressive career for the middle hitter. Hepburn was the ACC’s 2008 Player-of-theYear after leading the league in kills and blocks. She ranked second nationally in blocks per set
with a 1.50 average and became Clemson’s three-time First Team All-ACC selection since Stern.
Stern also earned ACC Player-of-the-Year honors in 1999 under Hoover’s guidance, and
Hoover added Leslie Finn to the list of all-conference greats in 2003, after she garnered firstteam All-ACC status.
Hoover coached Finn to one of the most spectacular individual seasons in school history in
2004. The outside hitter was a first-team All-ACC and AVCA All-Region selection. Under Hoover’s
tutelage, Finn set a single-season and career kills record for Clemson. Hoover then coached
Danielle Hepburn to one of the finest careers in school history from 2005-08. Hepburn left the
program with the career record for and three of the top five single-season hitting percentages.
She also holds school records for block assists and total blocks over a career and ranks in the
top 10 for kills. Hepburn’s hitting percentage ranked among the top 15 nationally in 2007 (.395)

Meet the 2013 Team
and 2008 (.391) and she had a pair of top-five marks for blocks per set over her career.
Hoover is also no stranger to the development of young talent. Five times she has coached
the ACC Rookie of the Year, with Jeannette Abbott earning the award most recently in 2005.
Sandra Adeleye was the most recent Tiger to benefit form her tutelage, earning East Region
freshman-of-the-Year honors, as well as a spot on the All-Region and All-ACC teams. Additionally, Alexa Rand was named to the All-ACC freshman team in 2009. Clemson played four freshman more than 100 sets, giving them valuable winning experiences as well as a taste of the
NCAA tournament.
The file also includes 1998 selection Jodi Steffes and 1999 selection Jessi Betcher. Steffes
completed her career in 2001 as Clemson’s first four-time AVCA All-District honoree and was
inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in the fall of 2009. Betcher finished her Tiger
career in 2002 as Clemson all-time leader in assists with 1,551. Hoover has coached 14 different players to the All-ACC freshman team, including at least one in eight of the last 10 seasons.
She placed two rookies on the squad in 2006 in Kelsey Murphy and Didem Ege, marking just
the second time in program history that the conference All-Freshman team included two Tigers.
Both were during Hoover’s reign.
The development of Ege and Murphy combined with veterans at the five remaining positions
to secure the 2007 squad’s place in Clemson history. Hoover led the team to an ACC Championship, a trip to the NCAA Tournament and the #22 final ranking with a 29-4 overall record and a
program-best 21-1 mark in the conference. She was named the 2007 ACC Coach-of-the-Year,
her second such honor, while coaching an unprecedented four AVCA Honorable Mention AllAmerica selections. The team established new standards for overall and conference winning
streaks during the season at 14 and 17, respectively; and the .879 winning percentage for the
year was the highest figure achieved by a Clemson women’s sports program in this century.
Ege went on to win ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2009, as well as an All-ACC

selection after setting the ACC record for career digs, as she ended her career among the top 15
in NCAA history. Murphy closed out her career as a three-time All-ACC talents, and is the only
player in league history to record 5000 assists, 1000 digs, and 400 blocks.
With its team and individual success, the 2007 team etched its mark alongside that of the
1999 squad, whose season set the bar for Hoover and the program.
That year, the Tigers posted a 31-3 overall record and finished the season ranked 22nd
nationally. That .910 winning percentage was not only a Clemson volleyball record, but the top
winning percentage for any Clemson sport in the decade of the 1990s. The season included an
ACC regular season championship, a 27-game winning streak over the first nine matches of the
season, a record four wins over Top 25 teams, and a record 16-match winning streak. The most
impressive statistic might have been a perfect 12-0 record on the opponent’s home floor. Hoover
led the Tigers to a #9 final RPI ranking that season as well.
The 1999 season was Clemson’s fifth appearance in the NCAA Tournament in a seven-year
period. Her 1993 and 1994 teams finished their seasons in the NCAAs, just the fourth time in
Clemson athletic history a coach had taken a team to the NCAAs in the first two years with the
program. Her first two teams were a combined 55-15 overall, 20-8 in ACC play.
The 1997 and 1998 teams also reached NCAA Tournament play. The 1997 squad won the
program’s first ever ACC Championship. Clemson upset then-undefeated and 13th-ranked
Maryland to win the title, as three Tigers were chosen to the All-Tournament team for the first
time in school history and Michelle Thieke was named tourney MVP. Clemson finished that year
with a 26-8 ledger. The 1998 team reached the second round of the NCAAs before losing to second-ranked Penn State on its home court. It has a school record six wins in five-game matches.
Hoover coached her 2008 squad to a second-straight NCAA appearance and another firstround victory, marking the first time ever that the Tigers reached the second round in back-toback seasons. Clemson posted a 23-10 overall record with a 14-6 ledger in conference play. In

addition to Hepburn’s top league honor, Murphy was named to the First Team and Lia Proctor
earned the first ACC accolade of her career with a second-team selection. With Hoover’s coaching, Proctor has made great strides in her game since her freshman season. She posted nearly
100 more kills each year, compared the one prior, while bettering her hitting percentage each
season as well. In 2008, Proctor was given a full-rotation role for the first time and used it
to record 329 digs (second-most on the team) and 26 service aces. Her improved play was a
contributing factor in the team’s successes, providing a balance to Hepburn in the middle.
Hoover led the Tigers to a 20-14 record during the 2004 season, the most wins at Clemson
since the 1999 season. Among the 20 wins was one of Hoover’s greatest upsets. After handling
Virginia Tech to open the ACC Tournament, the Tigers were faced with a matchup versus #1 seed
Georgia Tech, who went undefeated in the regular season. The Tigers prevailed 3-1 in one of
Clemson’s best performances in recent memory.
With four underclassmen starters, along with the team’s libero, the 2006 Clemson squad’s
resume was even then more remarkable. Hoover guided the Tigers to another 20-win season and
a third-place finish in the ACC.
Clemson has reaped the benefits of a veteran leader on the court, but Hoover began her list
of accomplishments long before taking over as head coach of the Tiger program.
Hoover graduated from Illinois State University in 1986, where she earned a Bachelor of
Science degree in physical education. While attending Illinois State, Hoover was named allleague in the Gateway Conference in 1983 and 1985, and also the league’s Most Valuable Player
in 1985. She was also named Most Valuable Player in two regular season tournaments, chosen
as the team’s co-captain in 1985, and was an AAU Junior Olympic All-American in 1982 and
1983. In October of 1999, Hoover was inducted into the Illinois State University Hall of Fame,
and was inducted into the Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School Hall of Fame in February of 2000. She was honored again in the fall of 2006 as she was named to the Missouri Valley
Conference’s (formerly the Gateway Conference) volleyball All-Centennial team.
During her Illinois State career, Hoover led the Redbirds to four Gateway Conference Championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances. Upon graduating from Illinois State, Hoover
participated in the 1987 inaugural season of the professional Major League Volleyball as a
setter for the Chicago Breeze. In the summer of 1985, she represented the USA in the World
University Games held in Kobe, Japan; and also trained with the United States Women’s National
Volleyball Team in San Diego, CA.
Hoover’s first coaching stint came in 1986 when she served as an assistant at her alma
mater, Illinois State. In 1987, she was named assistant coach at the University of Tennessee.
While at Tennessee, the Volunteers finished second in the Southeastern Conference in 1988,
after a third-place ranking in 1987.
In 1989, Hoover left Tennessee to return to her alma mater as an assistant coach. During
that season, Illinois State finished as the Gateway Conference Champions, posted a 21-10
record (9-0 in conference), and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
Hoover’s first head coaching position came in 1990 when she took over the Western Maryland College Terrors. During her three-year tenure at Western Maryland she compiled a 93-31
overall record. When combined with her 19-year mark at Clemson, Hoover has an impressive
491-250 (.665) career record.
Since her arrival at Clemson, Hoover has not only been coaching the Tigers, but has also
worked outside the collegiate coaching area. She has served as the head coach of the USA’s
Youth National Team in 1996, an assistant with the 1995 Olympic Festival Team, and as the
assistant coach for the Youth National Team in 1994.
Hoover, who earned a master’s degree from Clemson in 1997, and her husband Dave Hoover,
have two children, Hayley (21) and Carley. Carley is a freshman softball player at Stanford and
was the 2013 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year.

HOOVER’S CLEMSON MILESTONE TIMELINE
December 2, 1992
Named Head Coach of the Tigers
September 3, 1993
Recorded first win at Clemson, a 3-0 victory over Tennessee-Martin
September. 11, 1993
Recorded her 100th career coaching victory as the Tigers defeated Drexel,
3-0
December 1, 1993
Coached Clemson in its first NCAA Tournament appearance
September 6, 1997
Hit the 100-win mark at Clemson with a 3-0 victory against St. Louis
September 26, 1997
Won her 200th career match as a coach, bettering Wake Forest by a 3-0
margin
November 23, 1997
Led the Tigers to their first ACC Championship, defeating Duke, Maryland
and Georgia Tech at the conference tournament en route to the title
September 6, 2002
Won her 200th match at Clemson with a 3-0 victory over East Carolina
September 24, 2002
Reached career coaching win #300 as Clemson edged
Furman, 3-2
September 24, 2004
Defeated NC State, 3-0, to reach the 100-win plateau in ACC matches
October 13, 2007
Notched her 300th victory at the helm of the Tiger program as Clemson
knocked off 14th-ranked Duke, 3-2
November 3, 2007
Recorded her 400th career coaching victory as the Tigers downed Virginia
Tech, 3-1
Nov. 21, 2007
Coached Tigers to a 3-0 win over Maryland to secure the program’s second
outright ACC title
Oct. 2, 2009
Coached Clemson to a 3-2 win against Miami, clinching the 700th win in
program history, only the second ACC team to reach that milestone.
Aug. 25, 2012
Won 400th match as Clemson’s head coach with 3-0 win over SC State
Sept. 13, 2012
Won 500th career match with 3-0 victory over GA State
Oct. 6, 2012
Won 200th ACC match as Clemson’s head coach with 3-0 win over UVa

ASSISTANT
COACH
9th season @ Clemson
2009 Clemson Hall of Fame Inductee
Three-time All-ACC
Jodi Steffes Welp is entering her ninth overall season on the Clemson
volleyball coaching staff and the sixth year of her second stint as an assistant
coach. Welp was a four-year Tiger letterwinner from 1998-2001 and was inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in the fall of 2009. She served
her first tour of duty as an assistant coach from 2003-05 and returned in the
spring of 2008, where she now acts as a recruiting coordinator.
Welp handles the majority of the staff’s recruiting efforts, maintaining
a database of prospective student-athletes and evaluating their skills and
fit with the team’s needs. She will also plan a recruit’s official visit, which
includes arranging meetings with various athletic administrators, academic
advisors and university faculty. Additionally, her office responsibilities involve
opponent scouting and breaking down game film.
During her Tiger playing career, Welp was Clemson’s first four-time AllRegion honoree and was a three-time All-ACC second-team member (19992001). She was named the 1998 ACC Rookie-of-the-Year and that same year
was named to the ACC All-Freshman team.
Throughout her career at Clemson, she was named to seven all-tournament teams. Welp ranks seventh on the career list for most attempts (3,600)
and ninth in kills (1,422) and service aces (132). She is also fourth all-time
for defensive saves with 1,309 digs and was named to the ACC’s 50th Anniversary team in 2003. As one of the program’s most versatile players, Welp is
one of only four members of the All-Around Club of players who accumulated
at least 500 kills, 1,000 defensive saves and 200 total blocks over her career.
She is just the third volleyball player to be inducted into the Clemson
Hall of Fame, joining Denise Murphy and Cindy Stern. Welp’s invitation came
in just her third year of eligibility.
During her first stint as an assistant at Clemson, Welp helped the Tigers
to a 20-win season in 2004 while helping Leslie Finn to become just the
second player in program history to collect All-America honors. Finn holds the
school records for kills in a career with 1,906 and career kills per game average at 4.19. Welp helped coach former player Brittany Ross to all-conference
honors as well. The outside hitter played just two seasons before a medical
situation ended a promising career.
Ross was named to ACC All-Freshman team in 2004 after she recorded
a then school record 472 kills and 127 defensive saves. (Jeannette Abbott
broke the mark the next season with 515.) With the graduation of Finn, Ross
then led the Tiger offense with 525 kills during her sophomore season to earn
an All-ACC Second Team selection. Ross twice tied the school record for kills
in a single match in 2005, posting 32 kills in back-to-back matches in the
final month of the season.
With her responsibilities the recruiting efforts, Welp also helped to bring
to Clemson recently graduated seniors and fellow Illinois-natives Meghan
Steiner, Leslie Mansfield and Jeannette Abbott. Steiner was named an Honorable Mention All-American in 2007 while Mansfield made her mark on the
program as one of its greatest all-around players. Abbott concluded her career
in 2008 and her name is splattered across the Clemson record books. Welp
was also a member of the staff that inked Danielle Hepburn, who graduated in
2008 as arguably the program’s most decorated player. Hepburn was named
the ACC Player-of-the-Year as a senior and became just the second player in
school history to be named to an All-America team.
Hepburn left the program with the career record for and three of the top
five single-season hitting percentages. She also holds school records for block
assists and total blocks over a career and ranks in the top 10 for kills. Hepburn’s hitting percentage ranked among the top 15 nationally in 2007 (.395)
and 2008 (.391) and she had a pair of top-five marks for blocks per set over

her career.
Welp helped recruit 2009 grads and four-year starters Didem Ege, Kelsey
Murphy and Lia Proctor as well as the current group of incoming freshmen,
sophomores, and juniors. Murphy, who attended the same high school as Welp
(Providence Catholic), was a three-time All-ACC First-Team selection, while
Ege and Proctor have also earned all-conference honors during their careers,
including Ege’s 2009 Defensive Player of the Year honor. Proctor made great
strides in her last season as she improved in nearly every statistical category
on her way to All-ACC honors.
Welp helped lead that group of then-juniors and their teammates to a
23-10 record and an NCAA appearance in 2008. Clemson advanced to the
second round of the NCAA Championships for the second straight year, marking the first time in school history the Tigers won a match in the national
tournament in back-to-back seasons. Clemson finished third in the conference
with a 14-6 record.
She then helped lead Clemson to a 23-10 mark in 2010 and a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Clemson had four players named to
the All-ACC and All-East Region team, including Sandra Adeleye, who earned
the honors as a freshman. Adeleye was also named the East region Rookie of
the Year.
She has also aided in the development of young players on Clemson’s
roster, with Sandra Adeleye (2009), Alexa Rand (2009), Hannah Brenner
(2010), Mo Simmons (2010) all named to the ACC All-freshman teams. She
also helped Serenat Yaz to All-ACC honors in 2011.
In 2012, the Tigers won 21 more matches, and she helped Sandra Adeleye become the first player in Clemson history to be named All-ACC four times.
Welp, a native of Elwood, IL, graduated from Clemson in 2002 with a
degree in elementary education. While completing her student teaching, Steffes served as the head coach of the Walhalla High School volleyball team. She
coached the team to the regional playoffs in 2002.
She married Alex Welp, a former Director of Operations for the Clemson
Men’s Basketball program, in the summer of 2006. The couple spent time
outside of collegiate athletics in Virginia and Illinois before returning to the
Upstate and now resides in Easley, SC.

Kelsey Murphy is in her third season as an Assistant Coach at Clemson. Head volleyball coach Jolene Jordan Hoover announced the addition of
Murphy to her staff as an assistant coach on Jan. 6, 2011. Murphy was a
three-time All-ACC selection as a setter for the Tigers from 2006-09.
“We’re very happy to have Kelsey with our program,” said Hoover. “I
am so proud of what she has accomplished with her career. Having alumni
come back is, in my mind, a fantastic compliment to our program. Alumni
have such pride in the program and in the university, an understanding of the
landscape and commitment that we have here.”
Murphy, along with Clemson Hall of Fame alum, Jodi (Steffes) Welp
comprise the coaching staff, and between them have six AVCA All-region
honors, and seven All-ACC selections. Ironically, the two also attended the
same high school, Providence Catholic High School.
Murphy, a native of New Lenox, IL, spent the 2010 season as a
Graduate Assistant Coach with Tennessee Tech.
Clemson has won 20 or more matches in each of her first two seasons on the sidelines. Murphy helped guide Hannah Brenner to a 10.04 assists per set average, the most by a Tiger since she played in 2009. Brenner
finished 5th in the conference in assists per set.
In her first season as an assistant (2011), she helped the team to a
20-12 overall record and a 12-8 mark in league play. Murphy handles many
administrative duties and travel organization in addition to her on-court responsibilities.
Prior to her graduation in May of 2010, Murphy was a four-year
starter for Hoover’s Clemson team. She led Clemson to NCAA tournament
appearances in each of her final three seasons, and was named All-ACC and
AVCA All-Region in each of those seasons. She also guided the Tigers to an
ACC Championship in 2007, and helped Clemson to the league’s highest
hitting percentage in two of her four seasons.
Murphy finished her career as the only player in ACC history with
5,000 assists, 1,000 digs, and 400 blocks in a career.
She married Drew Saberhagen, an assistant baseball coach at USC
Upstate in January of 2013.

Danielle Hepburn, the 2008 ACC Volleyball Player-of-the-Year, is in
her first season with the Clemson Volleyball program as a Graduate Assistant,
joining the staff in July. Hepburn, who graduated in 2009, has played professionally overseas for the last four years.
“We are extremely thrilled that Danielle is coming back to her alma
mater and will help our team in numerous ways, especially with her international playing experience,” said Hoover. “She is one of the greatest players
that we’ve had, so I think it’s exciting that we can add someone like that to
our staff.”
“I am very excited to be a part of the program again,” said Hepburn.
“After playing internationally, I decided that it is important to me to become
more involved with student-athletes, and I am happy that I am able to return
to Clemson to do that.”
Hepburn was a 3rd-team AVCA All-American in 2008, and led the
team to NCAA Tournament wins in 2007 and 2008, and the ACC Championship in 2007. Hepburn is Clemson’s career leader in hitting percentage
(.357), blocks (684), block assists (560), blocks per set (1.47), and 8th
with 1,507 kills.
Clemson’s program now features three former Tiger greats in threetime All-ACC selections Jodi Steffes Welp (1998-01) and Kelsey Murphy
Saberhagen (2006-09), as well as Hepburn (2005-08).
Playing career at Clemson:
2008 ACC Volleyball Player of the Year
2006, 2007, 2008 All-ACC
2008 AVCA 3rd-Team All-American
Clemson career leader in blocks, block assists, blocks per set, hitting
percentage, and 8th in kills
Led Clemson to 2007 ACC Championship with 29-4 overall record, and
all-time ACC-best 21-1 in league play

Notes for Clemson Records and History Sections:
- Bold indicates current player.
- Match format switched from 30-point games to 25-point sets beginning with the 2009 season
- Career records require a minimum of two seasons played
- The ACC season was 22 matches from 2004-07 and 20 matches beginning in 2008

N1 at Billiken Invitational at St. Louis, MO; H1 at Big Orange Bash at Clemson,
SC; N2 at Kentucky Tournament at Louisville, KY; N3 at ACC Tournament at
College Park, MD; N4 at NCAA Tournament at University Park, PA

May 31, 1977
Clemson athletic officials announced
the university would field women’s
volleyball for the first time in the fall
of 1977. Grace Lyles was named the
Lady Tigers’ first coach.
September 28, 1977
Clemson played its first volleyball
match and was victorious over USCSpartanburg, 15-9, 13-15, 16-14.
September 28-29, 1977
Clemson won the Mars Hill Invitational – the school’s first tournament
championship.
November 10, 1979
Clemson won its 43rd match of the
year with a win over South Carolina.
The 43 wins set the school’s record
for most victories for a single season.
October 31 – November 1, 1980
Clemson participated in the first ACC
Volleyball Tournament. The Lady Tigers finished third in the inaugural
affair.
November 1, 1980
Judy Sackfield and Lisa Harbison
were Clemson’s first All-ACC players.
January 21, 1986
Denise Murphy was named to the
GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-American
second team.
December, 1986
Denise Murphy was named to the
NCAA Southeast All-Region team,
Clemson’s first all-district player.
January 26, 1987
Denise Murphy was named to the
GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-American
second team. Chris Sherman was
named to the third team. This was
the first time in Clemson history that
a team had two academic All-Americans in the same year.
November 20-22, 1987
Clemson played host to the eighth
annual ACC Volleyball Tournament.
January, 1988
Chris Sherman was named to the
GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-American
second team, becoming Clemson’s
first two-time Academic All-American.
September 15-16, 1989
Clemson won the Big Orange Classic. This was the first regular-season
tournament Clemson had ever played
host to on campus.
November, 1989
The Tigers finished the season with a
30-7 overall record and a .811 win-

Tiger Timeline

ning percentage, the best in Lady
Tiger history.
September 25, 1992
With a five-game victory over Auburn,
the Lady Tigers set a school record for
the best undefeated start in Clemson
volleyball history at 15-0. It was also
the longest winning streak in Clemson history.
December 2, 1992
Jolene Jordan Hoover was named
head coach of the Tigers.
September 27, 1993
For the first time in the history of
the Clemson volleyball program, the
team received a regional ranking in
the NCAA polls. The Tigers made
their debut at the 13th position in
the South.
November 6, 1993
Clemson’s win over 23rd-ranked Florida State was the Tigers’ first-ever
victory over a nationally-ranked team.
November 18, 1993
Julie Rodriguez was named ACC
Rookie of the Year.
December 1, 1993
Clemson played in its first-ever NCAA
tournament match versus Houston.
This match was played in Clemson,
SC.
November 5, 1994
Clemson upset 17th-ranked Duke in
three games at home for the 400th
victory in the history of the program.
It marked the second season in a row
that the Tigers defeated a nationallyranked team and the first time Clemson had beaten Duke since 1981.
November 17, 1994
Jolene Jordan Hoover became the
first Clemson volleyball coach to be
named ACC Coach of the Year. Robin
Kibben was named to the All-ACC
first team for the third straight year.
November 20, 1994
The Tigers competed in the championship match of the ACC Tournament, held in Chapel Hill, NC, for
the first time in school history. Duke
defeated the Tigers in three games,
15-6, 15-9, 15-7. Robin Kibben and
Heather Kahl were named to the ACC
all-tournament team.
November 30, 1994
Clemson played host to its second
straight NCAA first-round tournament
and posted its first win ever in an
NCAA tournament. The Tigers defeated Stephen F. Austin in five games
for the win.

2013 Clemson Volleyball

ClemsonTigers.com • @ClemsonVB

December 3, 1994
For the first time in the history of the
program, the Tigers participated in
the second round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament, playing Houston
at Houston, TX. The Tigers fell to the
Cougars, 15-1, 15-13, 15-12.
November 15, 1995
Stephanie Schulz was named ACC
Rookie of the Year.
November 21-23, 1997
The Tigers won the Atlantic Coast
Conference title for the first time in
the program’s history. Clemson defeated Duke, 15-11, 16-14, 14-10,
in the first round and upset 15thranked Maryland in the semifinals,
7-15, 15-10, 15-8, 15-10, at the
ACC Tournament in Raleigh, NC. In
the championship match, Clemson
defeated Georgia Tech, 8-15, 15-3,
15-9, 15-13, for its first ACC title in
school history. Michelle Thieke was
named the ACC Tournament’s Most
Valuable Player.
December 6, 1997
Central Florida won over Clemson,
15-7, 15-13, 15-1, in the first round
of the NCAA Tournament in Madison,
WI.
November 23, 1998
Jodi Steffes was named the 1998
ACC Rookie of the Year.
December 4, 1998
Clemson defeated Fairfield, 15-9,
15-9, 15-5, in the first round of the
NCAA Tournament at University Park,
PA.
December 5, 1998
Penn State defeated Clemson in University Park, PA, 15-2, 15-11, 15-5,
in NCAA Tournament second-round=
action.
September 3, 1999 – October 9,
1999
Clemson won 16 straight matches to
begin the 1999 season, the longest
winning streak to date in history. The
Tigers defeated Texas A&M on Sept.
3 and won their next 15 matches before falling to North Carolina on Oct.
9.
September 7, 1999
The Clemson volleyball program recorded its 500th victory with a 15-2,
15-9, 15-5 victory over Winthrop at
home.
November 13, 1999
Clemson clinched its first ACC regular season title, going 15-1 in conference matches.

46

November 15, 1999
The Tigers achieved their highest
national ranking in program history
when they were listed 13th in the
AVCA poll.
November 18, 1999
Cindy Stern was selected as the ACC
Player of the Year, Clemson’s first in
history. Jessi Betcher also earned
ACC Rookie of the Year honors.
December 2, 1999
The Tigers played host to the first
round of the NCAA Tournament.
Clemson fell to Indiana in four
games, 9-15, 15-11, 5-15, 12-15.
December 9, 1999
Jolene Jordan Hoover was named the
District III Coach of the Year.
December 16, 1999
Cindy Stern was selected to the second team All-America, the first AllAmerican in ACC history.
December, 1999
The Tigers concluded, arguably,
the best season in program history,
posting a 31-3 overall record that
included four wins over ranked opponents and set the school record with
a .912 winning percentage. The team
put together 16- and 15-match winning streaks during the year and also
claimed Clemson’s lone ACC regular season title with a 15-1 record
in league matches. The Tigers also
earned their only final top-25 ranking in history, finishing 22nd in the
AVCA poll.
August 1, 2002
The ACC announced it’s 50th Anniversary Volleyball Team, with seven
Clemson players making the list - Alison Coday, Heather Kahl, Robin Kibben, Julie Rodriguez, Jodi Steffes,
Cindy Stern and Michelle Thieke.
January 22, 2003
Cindy Stern was named one of 50
ACC 50th Anniversary Top Female
Athletes.
September 24, 2004
Tiger volleyball head coach Jolene
Jordan Hoover recorded her 100th
ACC victory when Clemson defeated
NC State, 30-22, 30-17, 30-24.
November 18-20, 2004
Clemson reached the semifinals of
the ACC Tournament in thrilling fashion, as the Tigers entered the event as
the ninth seed among the 11 teams.
Clemson edged Virginia Tech in five
sets in the first round, 30-19, 36-34,
28-30, 28-30, 15-8. The Tigers then
upset #1-seed Georgia Tech, who had
gone 16-0 in the ACC regular season,

Tiger Timeline
in the second round, 31-29, 27-30,
30-28, 30-25, before falling to North
Carolina in the semifinals, 19-30,
29-31, 23-30.
December 15, 2004
Leslie Finn became Clemson’s second volleyball All-American, earning
an honorable mention selection.
September 15, 2005
Cindy Stern was inducted into the
Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame.
November 29, 2005
Jeannette Abbott became the fifth Tiger volleyball player to be named the
ACC Rookie of the Year.
December 13, 2006
Jeannette Abbott and Danielle Hepburn were named Honorable Mention
All-Americans by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. With the
honor, the then-sophomores became
just the third and fourth players in Tiger history to earn the accolade and
gave Clemson multiple honorees for
the first time ever.
February 2, 2007
Danielle Hepburn was named to the
CVU.com Stellar Spikers First Team.
September 14, 2007 - October 30,
2007
The Tigers won a school-record 17
matches in a row, including a program-best 14 consecutive conference contests. The streak began with
a 3-0 sweep of Kent State in the
Clemson Classic and lasted until a
3-0 loss at Virginia on Nov. 2. The
Tigers navigated through the first half
of the ACC season with an undefeated record.
October 13, 2007
Clemson upset 13th-ranked Duke in
a five-game battle in Durham, NC.
It was the highest-ranked opponent
that the Tigers had defeated in history. The victory was also Head Coach
Jolene Jordan Hoover’s 300th at the
helm of the Tiger program.
November 3, 2007
Clemson Head Coach Jolene Jordan
Hoover recorded her 400th career
coaching victory as the Tigers defeated Virginia Tech, 3-1, in Blacksburg,
VA.
November 16, 2007
The Tigers clinched their first ACC
Championship since 1999 with a
3-0 win over Florida State. Clemson
finished the ACC season with a 21-1
record.
November 27, 2007
Head Coach Jolene Jordan Hoover

was voted as the ACC Coach-of-theYear for the second time in her career, and a school-record six Tigers
were named to the all-conference
team. Dide Ege, Danielle Hepburn
and Kelsey Murphy were first-team
selections, while Jeannette Abbott,
Leslie Mansfield and Meghan Steiner
earned second-team honors.
Nov. 30, 2007 - Dec. 1, 2007
The Tigers earned a bid to the 2007
NCAA Championships and played
host to the first and second rounds.
Clemson defeated Alabama by a 3-1
margin in its opening match before
falling to the eighth-seeded UCLA,
3-1, in the second round.
December 3, 2007
Clemson was ranked 22nd in the final CSTV/AVCA Volleyball poll. It was
just the second time in program history that the team was listed in the
final rankings.
December 12, 2007
Four Tiger players were named Honorable Mention AVCA All-Americans.
Danielle Hepburn (left) became the
first player in school history to earn
the accolade for multiple seasons,
while Didem Ege, Kelsey Murphy and
Meghan Steiner were also honored.
December 2, 2008
Danielle Hepburn was named the
ACC Player-of-the-Year, just the second Clemson player to earn the accolade. Kelsey Murphy (1st) and Lia
Proctor (2nd) were also named to allconference teams.
December 5-6, 2008
Clemson played host to NCAA Tournament first and second round action for the second straight year.
The Tigers won a five-set thriller over
Tennessee to advance to the second
round in back-to-back seasons for the
first time in program history. Clemson
then fell to 12th-seeded Utah.
December 17, 2008
Danielle Hepburn was named to the
AVCA All-America Third Team.
January 16, 2009
Danielle Hepburn was one of four
players nationally recognized as CVU.
com Honorable Mention Blocker-ofthe-Year.
February 5, 2009
Danielle Hepburn was named to the
CVU.com Stellar Spikers First Team.
October 2, 2009
Clemson becomes the seond school
in ACC history to reach 700 wins
with a victory against the Miami Hur-

ricanes in Coral Gables, FL.

under Jolene Hoover

December 3, 2009
Kelsey Murphy, Lia Proctor, Didem
Ege and Sandra Adeleye were named
All-ACC. Adeleye also joined teammate Alexa Rand in being named to
the ACC All-Freshman team.

November 21, 2012
Sandra Adeleye was named to the
All-ACC team for a fourth consecutive
season, becoming the first Tiger ever
to accomplish the feat. She would
later be named to the AVCA All-Region team for a 4th time.

December 4, 2009
The Tigers play in their third consecutive NCAA tournament, this time at
the Universtiy of Kentucky. Clemson
lost its’ first-round matchup to the
#17 Oregon Ducks, 0-3.

February 28, 2013
Seniors Alexa Rand and Natalie
Patzin garnered the ACC’s prestigious Postgraduate Scholarship and
were named to the Academic All-ACC
team, along with Adeleye.

December 9, 2009
Four Tigers were named to the AVCA
All-Region team for the East Region. Freshman Sandra Adeleye was
named the East Region Freshman of
the Year and joined Kelsey Murphy,
Lia Proctor and Didem Ege with AllRegion honors.
Sept. 25, 2010
Behind Alexa Rand’s school-record
15 total blocks, the Tigers record
21.0 blocks off eventual ACC Champion Duke in a thirilling, 3-2 loss in
Jervey Gym
December 7, 2010
Sandra Adeleye is named to All-ACC
team for second straight season, and
Mo Simmons and Hannah Brenner
are added to the All-ACC Freshman
team. Adeleye was later named AVCA
All-Region
September 24, 2011
Clemson and Duke played the longest match in rally-scoring era, going
nearly 3 hours in a five-set Duke win
in Durham. The deciding set went
25-23 in favor of the Devils, the most
points in a final set in each team’s
school history
November 19, 2011
Clemson defeated No. 22 Miami in
five sets in Jervey Gym on senior day
behind 27 kills from Sandar Adeleye
and 20 from Serenat Yaz. Hannah
Brenner had 68 assists, while Natalie Patzin had 25 digs in the win. It
was Clemson’s first win over a ranked
team since 2007
November 23, 2011
Serenat Yaz, Sandra Adeleye, and
Alexa Rand were each voted to the
All-ACC team by league coaches. It
was the most selections since the
2009 season, in which Adeleye was
also selected.
November 16, 2012
Clemson defeates Duke, 3-2, to
sweep the season series for the first
time since 2007 and win a 20th
match in a season for the 13th time

The Clemson Tiger volleyball team headed into the 1997 ACC Tournamen seeded fourth in the ACC
conference standings. In the 17 years of the ACC Tournament, never had a fourth seeded team won the
championship title. This year, things would change.
The Tigers were slated to face Duke in the first round of the tournament. The Blue Devils
were seeded fifth and in the two prior match-ups between the Tigers and Blue Devils, Clemson came out on top in both matches 3-2, and 3-1.
The Tigers seemed to have the Blue Devils’ number beating them once again, this time
in consecutive games, 15-11, 16-14, and 15-10. Sophomore Alison Coday led the Tigers with
17 kills, five blocks and a .394 hitting percentage. The Tigers had survived the first round and
headed into Saturday’s match scheduled to face the top-seeded and 16th ranked Maryland
Terrapins.
The Tigers, along with the other eight schools in the conference were unable to beat the Terrapins over the last two years. Maryland had a streak of 35 consecutive wins over ACC opponents
including three straight in the 1996 ACC Tournament, and in the last two years the Tigers had
been beaten all four times they faced the Terrapins.
The Tigers not only downed the Terrapins in the second round of the Tournament and
snapped their streak, but they also gave Maryland its first loss of the 1997 season. The Tigers
sent the top seeded and 15th-ranked Maryland Terrapins home with a new record of 25-1.
There was also another milestone in the victory for the Tigers because this was the highest
ranked
opponent Clemson had beaten in its history. Pacing the Clemson attack were senior Michelle
Thieke who tallied 75 assists, 17 digs, and 4 blocks, along with sophomore Cindy Stern who
knocked down a triple-double (22 kills, 11 digs, 10 blocks).
Clemson had now gained a spot in the finals and was matched against the thirdseeded Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. This also happened to be the first time in ACC Tournament history that a first or second seeded team was not playing for the championship.
The Tigers had split during the regular season with the Yellow Jackets, each winning
their respective home matches, 3-1. The championship match was also a four-game
match with the Tigers winning the latter three games marking the first time Clemson had
ever won the ACC Title. Pacing the Tigers in its championship game was Cindy Stern who
grabbed 14 kills, four blocks and a .458 hitting percentage.
Three Clemson players were honored with selections to the ACC All-Tournament
team. Michelle Thieke was the MVP and posted incredible tournament statistics including a
combined 169 assists over the three matches. Cindy Stern (47 kills, 20 blocks, 26 digs) and Skye Frost (33
kills, 53 digs, 6 service aces) were also named to the All-Tournament team.

1999 ACC Champions
Clemson’s 1999 volleyball team is responsible for one of two ACC regular season titles in the program’s history. That team also
established a Clemson record with a .912 winning percentage, as the Tigers went 31-3 over the course of the season.
The season began on a high note, as Clemson disposed of #16 Texas A&M 3-0 en route to winning a tournament in East
Lansing, MI. In their final match of the two-day event, the Tigers downed host school and 22nd-ranked Michigan State 3-0. Clemson
would keep that momentum for the entire month of September, going 13-0 during that time. Included in the victory total was yet
another top 25 upset, this time of SEC foe Arkansas at home. The Tigers were pushed during that stretch, but Clemson persevered
through five-game matches with Wake Forest and South Carolina.
It wasn’t until October 9 that the 1999 squad would taste defeat. North Carolina came into Jervey Gym and walked out with a
3-1 win, ending the Tigers’ 16-match winning streak to start the season.
Jolene Jordan Hoover and the Tigers quickly put together an equally impressive streak. Five consecutive road wins in conference play helped Clemson to a 15-match winning streak that lasted until the finals of the ACC Tournament. Clemson
avenged its earlier loss to the Tar Heels by claiming a dramatic, five-game victory over a
top 25 North Carolina squad in Chapel Hill.
When the regular season had concluded, Clemson was 15-1 and
had its first ACC volleyball championship. The Tigers finished the season
a perfect 12-0 on the road, easily the best mark in school history. Clemson
advanced to the finals of the ACC Tournament, but fell for a second time to
the Tar Heels of North Carolina.
In many ways it was the finest season in school history, as the Tigers
set multiple records along the way. The 16-match winning streak remains
the longest in school history, as does the 12-match road winning streak. The
Tigers also put together a streak of 12 ACC wins in a row, still a school record.
The 15 conference wins is four more than the second-best total in school
history. Clemson defeated four top-25 teams in 1999, still a school record. The
team also earned a place in the final AVCA top-25 poll at #22.
As a team, Clemson recorded its best ever hitting percentage at .275.
That is 14 points higher than the next best total, which was a .261 hitting percentage by the 1995 squad. The 1999 team also set records for kills per game
(16.91) and assists per game (15.54), which still stand today.
Cindy Stern, a middle blocker for the Tigers during that season, made
history by becoming the first All-American ever for the program. She put together
one of the top all-around seasons in school history with 531 kills, 127 total blocks,
and 254 digs. Three other Tigers placed on the All-ACC teams, with Alison Coday
earning first-team honors and Jodi Steffes and Jessi Betcher named to the second
team.

The 2007 Clemson volleyball team secured its place in school history as one of the best
all-time, winning an ACC Championship, earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament and setting
numerous records along the way.
Individually, the Tigers and Head Coach Jolene Jordan Hoover amassed a healthy
collection of post-season honors, including an unprecedented four AVCA Honorable Mention
All-America selections. A school-record six student-athletes were named all-conference
while Hoover earned her second ACC Coach-of-the-Year honor after leading Clemson to
a 21-1 league record and the conference title. Junior Danielle Hepburn and sophomores
Didem Ege and Kelsey Murphy were first team selections after posting some of the top
single-season marks in Tiger volleyball history. Meghan Steiner joined the trio on the
AVCA East Region First Team, which resulted in all four being named Honorable Mention
All-Americans.
The team made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1999, playing host
to the event and advancing to the second round with a win over Alabama. The Tigers fell
to eighth-seeded UCLA, 3-1, to end their historic season. Clemson was ranked 22nd in
the final AVCA poll, marking just the second time in history that the team has finished
among the top-25.
Steiner, along with Leslie Mansfield and Sue Eckman, collected scholastic honors
as well. All three were named to the 2007 ACC All-Academic Volleyball Team, the second
career selection for each, while Steiner and Mansfield earned ESPN The Magazine
Academic All-District honors. Mansfield made her mark on the Clemson record books as
one of the best all-around players of all-time. She concluded her career as one of just
four players to accumulate at least 500 kills, 1,000 digs and 200 blocks.
Meanwhile, the team set a program record for ACC wins while establishing
new standards for overall and conference winning streaks. The Tigers won 21 league
matches, including 14 straight to open the season. The 14 consecutive victories were a
single-season record, and when paired with two wins from the 2006 season, set
the record for a conference-winning streak.
Prior to the ACC schedule, Clemson won a trio of contests in the Clemson
Invitational for 17 straight wins, bettering the 1999 team’s mark of 16. With their 29-4
overall record, the Tigers’ .879 winning percentage ranks second in volleyball history
and is the highest figure achieved by a Clemson women’s sports program this century.

• AVCA Honorable Mention AllAmerica (2004)
• Two-time AVCA All-District
(2003, 2004)
• Two-time All-ACC (2003,
2004)
• School leader for kills in a
single season and over a
career
• Ranked eighth nationally for
kills per game (5.61 in
2004)

Heather Kahl
1991-94
Setter
• AVCA All-Region (1994)
• Second Team All-ACC (1994)
• All-ACC Tournament (1994)
• Ranked fourth in school history for career assists
• Ranked in the top 10 for
career defensive saves
and assists per game
• Former Head Volleyball Coach
at Wake Forest

ACC Player of the Year (2008)
Third-Team AVCA All-America (2008)
CVU.com Stellar Spiker First Team (2006, 2008)
CVU.com Honorable Mention Blocker-of-theYear (2008)
Ranked 2nd in the nation in blocks per set
(1.50 in 2008)
Three-time AVCA All-Region (2006, 2007, 2008)
Two-time AVCA Honorable Mention All-American
(2006, 2007)
Invited to US Women’s National Team open
tryout
Holds school career records for hitting percentage, blocks per set, total blocks and block
assists

2013 Clemson Volleyball

ClemsonTigers.com • @ClemsonVB

Tiger Volleyball Stars

Robin Kibben
1991-94
Middle Blocker

Denise Murphy
1983-86
Outside Hitter

Kelsey Murphy
2006-2009
Setter

• Two-time AVCA All-Region
(1993, 1994)
• Three-time First Team AllACC (1992, 1993, 1994)
• All-ACC Tournament team
(1994)
• Ranked second in school history for career kills
• Ranked in the top 10 all-time
for career attempts,
blocks, aces and digs
• ACC 50th Anniversary Team
(2002)
• Clemson Athletic Hall of
Fame Inductee (2013)

• Three-time All-ACC (2007,
2008, 2009)
• Three-time All-East Region
(2007, 2008, 2009)
• Three-time AVCA Honorable
Mention All-America
(2007, 2008, 2009)
• Finished 2nd in school history
in set assists (5,185)
• 10th in school history in
blocks (436) and digs
(1,220)
• Led Clemson to best ACC hitting percentage in two of
her last three seasons.

• AVCA All-District (1995)
• Second Team All-ACC (1995)
• ACC Tournament MVP (1997)
• Ranked 3rd all-time for
career assists and 3rd for
assists per game
• ACC 50th Anniversary Team
(2002)
• Current Head Volleyball
Coach at Furman University

• Second Team All-ACC (1988)
• Ranked in the top five in
school history for career
assists and 8th in hitting
percentage

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53

ACC Player of the Year (1999)
AVCA All-America Second Team (1999)
- first All-American in Clemson and ACC
history
Two-time AVCA All-District (1997, 1999)
Three-time All-ACC (1997, 1998, 1999)
ACC All-Freshman Team (1996)
Ranked in the top 10 in school history
for career block assists, attempts, kills,
hitting percentage and total blocks
Ranked eighth nationally for blocks per
game (1.58 in 1997)
ACC 50th Anniversary Team (2002)
ACC Top 50 Female Athletes (2002)
Drafted by the United States Professional
Volleyball league (2000)
Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame inductee
(2005)